Guwahati: 26-year-old Anowar Hussain from western Assam’s Dhubri district is redefining the meaning of the word "courage."
Anowar, who lost his legs in an accident in 2015, has resolutely continued his efforts to become financially stable and live a fulfilling life.
Anowar was on his way back home from his 10th board exams, riding pillion on a friend's motorcycle, when his world came crashing down.
"We had just finished our last exam and had a long break ahead. We never could have prepared ourselves for what happened next," he said recalling the fateful day.
Enroute to his native village, Chirakuta, from the examination centre in Salkocha, Hussain's two-wheeler skidded off the road at a turn near the Tilapara village. The impact knocked him unconscious, and his vehicle fell on top of his legs.
His family rushed the still-unconscious Hussain to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), where initial diagnostics revealed critical spinal injuries. Doctors estimated the cost of treatment at Rs. 5 lakhs.
"As I came from a lower-middle-class family, we were unable to afford such a large sum," said Hussain.
Anowar’s family then took him in an unconscious state to a quack at Nishuganj in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district, about 150 kilometers from his village in Dhubri.
The quack treatment proved futile, and Anowar finally regained consciousness fifteen days later, after slipping into a near-coma.
"I felt dazed when I woke up, as if from a dream," he recalled. "When I found out that I would not be able to use my legs, I was shattered. I had to re-evaluate my entire life, my goals, and ambitions."
After the accident, Anowar had to drop out of school and his family spent a significant amount of money on his medical treatment, but to no avail. He was devastated and unsure of how he would be able to support himself and his family.
"At that point, we accepted that it was too late for me to walk again," he said.
However, Anowar refused to give up. He opened a small grocery store in his neighborhood, but it was not successful. He then reached out to NGOs that worked with the specially-abled, where he learned new skills and gained confidence.
In 2021, Anowar got a motorized tricycle from the Artificial Limbs Manufacturing Corporation of India (ALIMCO) as part of a government scheme. This gave him the freedom to move around more easily and explore new opportunities.
During a recent visit to Guwahati to treat a wound infection, Anowar met an old friend who told him about the opportunities provided by Zomato. "Zomato delivery people who work full-time can earn up to Rs. 30,000 per month," his friend said.
Anowar saw this as a golden opportunity to finally become financially independent, so he promptly signed up as a delivery boy. He then moved to Guwahati with his loving wife, who has been caring for him since they got married in 2019.
Hussain has been working as a food delivery person for Zomato for over six months now, and he loves it. He says that people are generally appreciative of his efforts, and he even gets some puzzled looks from time to time.
